Planned ‘Weeping Willow park’ moves forward in Riverhead

The Riverhead Town Board is seeking bids on the Weeping Willow park improvement project.

The construction project calls for the development of parking, boat access and walkways along the Peconic River, where the Weeping Willow Motel used to be.

The town acquired the 53-year-old West Main Street motel in 2009 for $1.25 million.

The motel was demolished last year, following an asbestos removal project, so that the .45-acre site could be used for a park.

The town purchased the land with Community Preservation Fund money, which comes from a voter-approved 2 percent real estate transfer tax and can only be used for open space and farmland preservation projects.

In addition, the town received a $500,000 state parks grant for the project.